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31st Pacific Armies Management Seminar “Developing Security/Land Forces’ Leaders for the 21st Century”Sydney, Australia6-10 August 2007
The Thirty-first Annual Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS) washeld 6-10 August 2007 in Sydney, Australia. This Seminar was co-hosted by theAustralian Army and the United States Army, Pacific. PAMS is aimed atfacilitating and enhancing interactions among the Armies of the Asia-Pacific andIndian Ocean regions. Nine nations participated in the first PAMS in 1978 andthis year’s seminar had twenty-nine nations participating. The theme for thisSeminar was “Developing Security/Land Forces’ Leaders for the 21st Century”and included the following four subtopics:1. Describe the Impact of National Demographic Factors on Leader Development in Security/Land Forces.2. Illustrate the Education and Training Challenges for Security/LandForces in the 21st Century.3. Developing Leader and Soldier Skills for Coalition Operations.4. Discuss the Small-Unit Leadership Challenges Within a CoalitionInvolved in Irregular Warfare.Welcoming RemarksMajor General John P. Cantwell, AM, Deputy Chief of Army, AustralianArmy, welcomed all participants to PAMS XXXI and noted the significance of themeetings bringing 29 nations together. He thanked his staff for their work inmaking arrangements for the seminar and conveyed his hope for a veryproductive PAMS XXXI and PACC V.Lieutenant General John M. Brown III, Commanding General, U.S. ArmyPacific, expressed his thanks to the Australian co-hosts for selecting the venue of Sydney and the work done in preparing for the conference. He thanked all theparticipants for attending this 31st annual event of PAMS. General Brown noted20 of the Armies’ Chiefs or their representatives were also in attendance of thePACC V Conference held simultaneously with PAMS. He acknowledged thepossibility that some of the current PAMS attendees could someday return in therole of an Army Chief to a future PACC.General Brown pointed out the importance of PAMS and its forum todiscuss the important issues such as the elimination of terrorist leaders,multilateral operations, training of future leaders. He reflected upon the earlydevelopment of PAMS and the hopes of the first attendees. He recollected thatthey recommended that he should keep the forum where many could attend, allcan contribute, and all can recommend the topics of discussion. He pointed outthat this intent continues today.
 
TOPIC #1Describe the Impact of National Demographic Factors on Leader Development in Security/Land Forces
Brigadier General Eduardo Aldunate HermanCommandant of the Chilean Army’s Schools DivisionBrigadier General Aldunate began by noting the upcoming ChileanBicentennial in 2008. The nation, given its geography and strategic locationmakes it a vital part of the Asia-Pacific Region.General Aldunate emphasized that commanders’ leadership is the mostimportant in today’s volatile world. That leadership shows its value when theyare able to resolve conflict. It is essential that officers understand their nationalvalues and respect not only the values but also their history.The Chilean Army engages in four major activities: threat reduction,national power increment, encouragement of joint actions, and peacekeeping.Specifically, the Army provides an international presence, deterrent cooperation,compromise in multinational operations (in a variety of locations such as Cyprus,Haiti, Bosnia, the Middle East, and the India-Pakistan region) and regional andlocal integration. It provides support in surveillance on terrorist activities, but alsosupports the national development in activities such as road building. Given itsexpanded involvement, it is important that training to these missions beincorporated into leadership training.One of the notable changes in the Chilean Army is the increasedinvolvement of women, a phenomenon that has occurred within the past 20years. Along with these changes is a need for modernization of the militaryeducational system. The Army must prepare leaders to function in internationalscenarios. There have been some changes occurring in today’s Chilean Army.Schools now teach values along with leadership. Military education also focuseson international cooperation, military participation, and humanitarian assistance.Brigadier General Aldunate concluded that despite financial shortages, theChilean Army’s program to train good commanders remains a top priority.Leadership must be proactive in meeting this training goal.Colonel Alan Geoffrey McConeDirector of Strategic Human Resource Requirements in Personnel Branch,Indian ArmyColonel McCone addressed the issue of New Zealand’s Army leadershipfor the New Generations. He noted that his nation had an all-volunteer Army,based in a society that has broad cultural ties. Colonel McCone addressed therole that generations have on demographic influences and leadership.
 
Colonel McCone cited a recent Hudson Report that published a study onGenerations X and Y and their changing values, particularly in New Zealand.The report determined that the primary difference between the two generationsstudied came with levels of experience, levels of financial and familycommitment, depth of personal development, political awareness and emotionalmaturity (not generational differences across the board).Colonel McCone cited the Hudson report in support of his belief that thereasons for joining the New Zealand Army have not changed significantly in 30years. Three areas of focus in the study were the national environment, thefamily environment, and educational environment. Demographic figures showthat the population of New Zealand is now four million. Given the relativegeographical isolation of New Zealand, the government places importance on“showing a flag” on the world stage in order to maintain economic ties. Despitethis, given its smaller population and isolation, many citizens take the view of “Why should we care [about the rest of the world]?” This attitude has the resultof generally discouraging citizens from joining the military forces.New Zealand values promote a relatively egalitarian society and in recentyears, support the multi-cultural traditions of New Zealand. This egalitarianismhas resulted in a low unemployment rate, which has further hampered youngcitizens from joining the military service. In recent years, however, an increasingeconomic disparity, increased use of drugs among young people, and an agingpopulation in New Zealand gives cause for concern and calls for creative ways torecruit the younger generation as they seek jobs in the market.Over the past 30 years, students have been encouraged to think andquestion, and children are taught their rights as an individual. Today’s younger generations are more ready to ask “Why” of military commanders, rather than togive ready assent. They generally possess a greater ability to multi-task and arevery comfortable with technology. Their loyalty, increasingly, is to themselvesand therefore poses a challenge to leadership in the military.Colonel McCone discussed the development of a leadership model for thefuture. He noted that it is vital that the New Zealand Army values must be at theheart of the framework. These values must be defended and not sacrificed.Internalizing these Army values, modeling them and instilling them in theeveryday lives of Soldiers are at the very core of leadership. Leaders must livethe New Zealand Army ethos and values, as subordinates will mode themselveson leaders’ behavior and not on their words. They must respond to ethically andmorally ambiguous situations and display moral courage and integrity in the faceof pressure. Leaders in the 21st Century must think smart by thinking ahead,being creative and prepared to be flexible and consider the consequences of theactions. Leaders influence others by building trust in their subordinates andbuilding relationships. Good leaders are respectful of and make an effort tounderstand other cultures. They are able to make and maintain relationshipswith a wide variety of people. Leaders must also confront and resolve conflictbetween Soldiers, units, Forces, and ethnic factions. They build teams that trainas coherent, tight knit units, something that promotes a healthy Army culture.
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